Nascar Driver Jason Leffler Dies After Dirt-Track Crash

Jason Leffler, a longtime racing driver who competed in all three of Nascar’s main series, died after a crash last night at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. He was driving an open-wheel sprint car in the speedway’s 5/8-mile dirt track when his car hit a wall and tumbled along the front straight.

Leffler, 37, had won twice in Nascar’s second-tier Nationwide stock car series and once in the Camping World Truck Series. He also made 73 starts in the premier Sprint Cup series but never won a race. His last Cup start was last weekend at Pocono Raceway.

Racing on small local and regional tracks can be a good way for professional drivers to make extra prize money. It is also how some drivers sharpen their skills, maintain close contact with fans and show they have not forgotten their roots.

Having a big-name driver show up for races gives small tracks much-needed publicity and helps sell tickets. However, an incident like this could also bring unwanted scrutiny from safety officials. While small tracks are regulated, they generally lack the safety measures found at big Nascar venues. As a result, Nascar team owners often do not allow drivers to race at smaller events.

Leffler, who was born in Long Beach, Calif., was known by other drivers as “lefTurn.” He also had the nickname on his car. He rose through the ranks racing open-wheel sprint cars on short tracks and building an impressive record in the late 1990s. His big break came when he signed with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2000 to race in the Nationwide Series (then known as the Busch Series).

He moved up to the Cup series in 2001 with Chip Ganassi Racing but was let go after one season of lackluster results. He moved to the truck series, then back to Nationwide, where he raced full-time for several years. He also continued to race in Cup, but not as a full-time driver.

“For more than a decade, Jason was a fierce competitor in our sport and he will be missed,” Nascar said in a statement. The sanctioning group said its “thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies” are with Leffler’s family.

Without a regular Nascar ride this season, Leffler signed on to drive a sprint car on dirt tracks in Pennsylvania and the Northeast. He was competing in the Bridgeport Speedway’s Night of Wings event when the fatal crash occurred.